Bolt or railroad-spike.



A. H. T-AFT.

BOLT 0R RAILROAD SPIKE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7.1915.

1 ,205,580. Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

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AUGUSTUS H. TAFT, OF FAIR HAVEN, VERMONT.

BOLT OR RAILROAD-SPIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

Application 'filed June 7, 1915. Serial No. 32,706.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS H. TAFT, of FairHaven, in the county of Rutland and State of Vermont, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Bolts or Railroad-Spikes; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a bolt or railroad spike, and moreparticularly to that class of spikes which, after being driven to a setposition, are retained in such position by means of a driven lockingelement having a portion thereof engaging the spike and provided withpoints entering the material into which the spike is driven at an anglewith respect to thespike to hold the latter in the set position, againstdisplacement by strains.

One object of my invention resides in-the provision of a spike of theclass above mentioned which is simple in construction and embodies meansfor engagement with a tool to withdraw the locking element independently of the spike.

Another object resides in the provision, on the locking element, ofpoints cooperating with a recess in the spike to cause the points toenter the material into which the spike is driven in different planesthereby minimizing the danger of splitting.

Other objects and features of the invention will be evident from thedescription and showing herein embodied.

I will now proceed to describe my invention in detail with particularreference to the forms illustrated on the accompanying drawings andillustrative of certain embodiments thereof, which I have found inpractice to give good results.

In the drawings: Figure l is a rear view of my invention showing thelocking memher in position to be driven down; Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe same; and Fig. 3 is a rear view showing the locking member drivendown. r V

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 2 indicates the shank of arailroad spike having a head 1. As shown, the shank is cut-away on itsrear face and provided with obstructions 20 between the thickened endportion 3 and the head 1. The locking member 21 is substantially thewidth of the rear face of the spike and is provided at its lower endwith two points or prongs 22 adapted to be deflected in oppositedirections by engagement with the sloping shoulders formed by thethickened end, and above these prongs or points 22 are positionedshorter prongs 23 for engagement with the projections or obstructions 20to be deflected in opposite directions.

In the construction thus described it will be obvious that a pluralityof prongs are diverted laterally from the locking member intothe'material into which the spike is driven on different planes and atdifferent periods in the insertion of the locking element. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to besecured by Letters Patent, is:

'A bolt or railroad spike, comprising ahead and shank, a thickenedportion forming a shoulder adjacent to the lower end of the shank havinga divergently beveled upper face, a plurality of projections on the faceof the shank adjacent to its outer edges and intermediate of its upperend and said shoulder, a headless locking element having a bifurcatedend adapted to pass between said projections and to be deflectedlaterally by said shoulder to enter the material into which the spike isdriven, and a pair of prongs on said locking member intermediate of itsends adapted to engage said projections on the shank and be deflectedlaterally and caused to enter the material into which the spike isdriven in a different plane from said bifurcated ends, substantially asde-' scribed.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUSTUS H. TAFT.

Witnesses:

JOHN R. ROBERT, CLAYTON P. THOMAS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

